Jonathan Choe

Game Over Ballard A few more days to go until the August 1 primary in Seattle. Sunday afternoon, I went to check in on the homeless crisis exploding in Councilmember Dan Strauss’ (@CMDanStrauss) hood. Strauss remains vulnerable in District 6 and is fighting for his political life. I assumed he would have figured out a way to clear some of the tents for the sake of optics. Instead, Leary Ave NW is a wreck. I have never seen so many tents lined on this street. The side streets are pretty bad as well. You can walk to all 38 tents in a matter of minutes. I’m not even counting the dozens of RV’s and structures. Just the tents! Based on Read More ›

Exclusive Another terrifying incident along a Washington State Dept. of Transportation (@wsdot) right of way in Seattle. Friday evening, WSP (@wastatepatrol) confirms someone hurled a brick/rock through the windshield of a moving car traveling on 90E. This is near the ramp to the highway off Rainier Ave S. It’s an area that continues to deal with homeless encampments and mentally ill people roaming the streets. Authorities say somehow, the driver did not suffer serious injuries and is handling all of this through insurance. So far no suspects or arrests. This is just a few minutes away from the former homeless encampment known as “Tammy Town,” named after Councilmember Tammy Morales (@CMTammyMorales.) Morales recently doubled down and said she opposed encampment Read More ›

Arguably Worst Month for Governor Jay Inslee July was a total disaster when it comes to the homeless crisis exploding on Washington State Dept. of Transportation (@wsdot) right of ways. National media picked up on the insanity being built on WSDOT properties like the notorious West Seattle swimming pool, homeless cave/underground tunnel system, and EWOK Village in the trees. Making matters worse, this week a DRUG WAR involving homemade BOMBS caused one of the largest explosions in downtown Seattle along I-5. The Mayor of Seattle had to go in and clear the encampment since it was taking the state way too long to address this emergency. And there are still more than 2K encampments on state right of ways with Read More ›

Breaking Thursday morning, Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell (@MayorofSeattle) finally ordered crews to clear the notorious I-5 homeless encampment in downtown #Seattle. Even though it’s on Washington State Dept. of Transportation (@wsdot) property, the Mayor “deemed it an emergency,” so he was able to take control of this situation. I have been reporting for months now that the Mayor has always had this option. WSDOT’s problems have just become too much of a burden. The Mayor is clearly taking matters into his own hands. Otherwise, the investigation continues into this inferno, fueled by a DRUG TURF WAR involving homemade BOMBS. Witnesses say it was a REVENGE HIT JOB. Once again, this is not a housing crisis. A criminal enterprise was being Read More ›

Hot Topics Like so many neighborhoods in #Seattle, the conversations around public safety and homelessness usually dominate candidate forums. Chinatown-ID is no exception. This Asian American community in D2 continues to deal with a disproportionate amount of problems related to these issues. It’s evident what you will get under Councilmember Tammy Morales (@CMTammyMorales, @TammyMoralesSEA.) She’s pretty much doubling down on the same ideology and approach. Tanya Woo (@votetanyawoo) and Margaret Elisabeth (@MargaretForSCC) are the insurgent candidates. Here’s the Q&A on HOMELESSNESS in FULL. *Check out the rest of this thread for other topics. Public Safety Varying viewpoints and takes on this issue. What’s working and what’s not for this neighborhood? Police Accountability Current D2 Councilmember Tammy Morales pledged to defund Read More ›

A fireball engulfed several trees and tents along I-5 in downtown Seattle on Friday morning inside a well-known homeless encampment. The property is a Washington State Department of Transportation right of way, and witnesses say they heard propane tanks exploding and saw “a bunch of black smoke.” Fire crews responded immediately to extinguish the flames. Authorities say one man suffered injuries from the fire and checked himself into Harborview Medical Center. “We need to get these people off the streets,” one witness tells me. A hospital spokesperson says the victim is notorious graffiti vandal Casey Cain, also known as EAGR. His tag was found on a sink left standing amid the wreckage. The 36-year-old was out on bail for vandalism Read More ›

Clean-up has begun for a massive homeless encampment across the street from the Arrowhead Gardens senior living community in West Seattle. Diane Radischat, president of Arrowhead’s senior living association, is pleasantly surprised. She didn’t expect the removal to start this soon and says, “the clean up that’s going on today appears to be pretty extensive.” Crews began removing trash and dismantling the infamous swimming pool that had been set up on the property on Friday morning. Radischat says she refers to the people living there as “occupants,” and that she’ll “remain calling them that.” Monica Parrish set up the swimming pool and built a patio and says being asked to leave is “getting a little bit emotionally harder and harder Read More ›

Officials Respond to Encampment Inferno Monday morning, Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell (@MayorofSeattle) spoke publicly for the first time about the I-5 fire last week on a WSDOT (@wsdot) right of way in downtown. The Mayor would not go into details, but I could tell he was frustrated as he tries to maintain a positive working relationship with state agencies. The city continues to make progress with illegal camping, but the ones on WSDOT properties are being cleared at a much slower rate. As for this ARSON investigation, multiple sources say it was related to a DRUG TURF WAR. Two fellas were allegedly selling drugs out of tents and got into a beef. One guy retaliated by tossing an “accelerant,” causing Read More ›

Oh Boy WSDOT (@wsdot) and Gov. Jay Inslee (@GovInslee) are now dealing w/another out of control fire at a homeless encampment entrenched on a state right of way. There have already been multiple infernos at this downtown #Seattle location. @MayorofSeattle (video from Jeremy Harris) WSDOT Was Warned Look at this inferno back in March near the same spot. According state data, there are more than 2000 homeless encampments on state right of ways, many still in #Seattle. At what point does @MayorofSeattle step in. Questionnable Pace These encampment situations are out of control, even after millions of dollars poured into clearings and housing. That’s why I keep asking Governor Jay Inslee (@GovInslee) about the timelines for removals. But right now, Read More ›

Across the street from Arrowhead Gardens senior living community on Myers Way in Seattle sprawls a massive homeless encampment. On Tuesday evening, frustrated seniors at Arrowhead Gardens unloaded their concerns over the encampment and slammed the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) for mishandling the response. The seniors said they were “ashamed of the state,” and “feel threatened” living in close proximity to the encampment. The encampment has raised concerns about open air drug use, human trafficking, gun violence, and an overall increase in crime. Diane Radischat, president of Arrowhead’s senior living association, says a homeless person from the encampment “defecated in one of our washing machines.” A theme of the comments made Tuesday evening was a sense that the Read More ›